You Should Have Gone to the Meeting
by ReadingBlueWolf
Summary: Tony skips out on a meeting and has to face the subtle consequences. *Complete*
1. Dog House

"Have you had a good week?"

Tony lay on the couch in his garage with an icepack on his head. Pepper stood a few feet from him, biting back a smirk.

He moved the icepack to his stomach. "You set this up. You got together with her and the wolf, and came up with all these punishments. This is payback isn't it?"

"Payback?" she questioned innocently and moved closer. "Why would I want to retaliate?"

"Don't play coy, Potts," he responded and stood. "This is because I didn't attend that meeting. We both know I don't do well in staff meetings. Besides, you sealed the deal. I'm so proud of you." He kissed her forehead.

"Well," she replied, "I take it from now on you'll be involved in deals."

"I wouldn't count on it. You can obviously handle it." He shrugged. "So, am I out of the dog house for ditching the meeting?"

Pepper smirked. "Depends on what you had in mind."

"You know… A few things. Minor details." He pulled her closer and kissed her.

* * *

**Okay, so this set of drabbles is Part 1 of a challenged issued in Reviews Lounge, Too. The goal is to write 9 prompt pieces by the end of October.**

**Prompt 1: "We'll start off with an easier one: write a series of drabbles or flash fiction pieces that together tell a larger story. Bonus points if your drabbles are written out of chronological order/follow a nonlinear timeline, or if they aren't plot-compliant with each other but still tell a cohesive story (by sharing the same theme, etc.). The drabbles/flash fictions should each be between 100 and 400 words long."**

**In response to the first challenge I'm pulling out this bit of fun and fluff stuff. They're spotlight scenes from my main fic I normally wouldn't place in there because they pull from the actual plot. However, they're just right for this. You don't need to read the other fic in order to understand. It'll be explained as this goes along.**


	2. Darts with Dogs

Walking into the bar several blocks from the tower, he suddenly had second thoughts about bringing the immortal and black canine. _Maybe the park would have been better…_

"Sign on the door says no pets allowed. With… the picture of an alligator? People own alligators?"

Tony glanced to the girl next to him. "You have a talking dog, and you're judging someone with an alligator, Keeva?"

She shrugged and ran a hand through her dark golden hair. "It's not like Jac's going to death roll someone."

"I might," came a quiet reply. Tony looked down at the black canine who shrugged. "I mean, if you keep calling me a dog, I might snap and death roll you."

Keeva chuckled and patted the canine on the head. Tony rolled his eyes and walked into the establishment. Once inside, he heard Jac cough and glanced back at the two.

"This place has the stench of a whore house," Keeva said.

"Looks like one, too." Jac mumbled with a look toward the skimpy dressed women.

Tony's brow furrowed. "You've been to a whore house?"

"Hey!" shouted the gruff bartender. "Can't you read? No pets!"

"But he's not an alligator," Keeva muttered.

"Service dog. She has several…issues," Tony responded before he ordered drinks and then led them to a dart board in the corner. "So, today's 'mortal lesson' is darts. And dogs _can't_ play."

With a glowering Jac settled by a table, the lesson began. After a few drinks and several dart-holes in the wall, however, Tony sighed. _Time to call it quits._ As he went to retrieve the darts from the board, something stabbed him in the shoulder.

"Son of a—" Tony pulled a dart out of his shoulder and looked at Keeva and Jac. The dog held both his paws over his muzzle while her jaw hung open.

"I am _so_ sorry," Jac said, seemingly oblivious to the fact he was now talking in front of people. "And that's probably why _dogs_ don't play darts. Am I right?"

Keeva snorted as she broke out into a grin. When Tony looked at her, her eyes widened as her brow rose. "I… wasn't laughing. At all… Much…"

_They set this up... _"I'm going to kill both of you."

Keeva and Jac glanced at each other before rushing out of the bar, laughing hysterically; leaving Tony to sprint after them.

* * *

**I own nothing but Jac and Keeva. See profile for disclaimers.**


	3. Speed Racer

In some respect, he never should have agreed to the job. However, it did provide him with a change in atmosphere when things got monotonous. The fact Pepper supported it was even better. She understood that he was sort of responsible for the two mischief makers next to him and allowed it. Though, it had gotten him into trouble on a few occasions so far.

Like now for instance.

Potts had told him to teach Keeva how to drive this week. He had cringed when Pepper also suggested he used his pristine Shelby Cobra. While it wasn't his most prized car, it was still a sacrifice. _What if she crashes it?_

Now, as he spun, clutching his seat and watching the trees on the highway whip past, he thought teaching an immortal to drive wasn't the best idea. And despite being Iron Man, he actually feared for his life—mostly due to not being in control...of the car.

_Why did Pepper tell me to do this?!_

The car fish tailed at one point and came to a halt on the side of the road. The laughter from the two others in the car caused his brow to rise as he looked at the immortal and then the dark canine in the back seat. His gaze narrowed as he noticed Jac wearing his sunglasses. _When did he get those?_

"Give 'em back, Ray Charles." He held out an expectant hand.

Jac leaned back and crossed his arms. "Not a chance."

Tony huffed as he climbed out of the car and walked to the driver's door. "Get out. I'm driving us home."

Keeva looked at him and frowned before shaking her head. "Nope."

In the next second, she pushed on the gas pedal and took off down the hallway. Tony slammed his hand against his forehead as he started walking back toward the city. _Next lesson, we're playing darts. It's safe._

Several minutes later, the Cobra pulled back around—Jac now strapped into the front seat.

The canine looked at Tony over the top of the glasses. "Climb in. We'll give you a ride." Jac's head and ears issued toward the back seat.

Tony sighed as he hopped in the back, wondering what he'd done in order to be punished. _Those two are not normally so conniving._


	4. Fetch?

**Casual reminder that these are purposely out of order due to the challenge.**

**Also, reviews are not demanded but are totally appreciated.**

* * *

"Why weren't you at the meeting earlier?"

Tony glanced up from his armor to see Pepper storming toward him. "Meeting?"

"You don't remember? The one about zoning for a new building full run on a reactor?" Pepper sighed and rolled her eyes. "You don't remember?"

"I might have had a memo around here somewhere…" Stark scratched the back of his neck and pursed his lips. He did remember the meeting. He'd just chosen to tinker with his armor instead. "Anyway, how'd it go?"

"Well, they accepted the deal so I assume it went well." Pepper crossed her arms. "What were you doing?"

"During the meeting?" Tony questioned, and realized it was the perfect opportunity to make up an excuse for missing the meeting. "Jac wanted to go to the park. We played fetch."

Her gaze narrowed. "You played _fetch_?"

"He's a good runner. Too bad he couldn't be an actual pet," Tony said and walked toward her. "Thanks for taking care of the meeting. I owe you. What do you want for dinner?"

Pepper ran a hand down his arm and was silent for a few minutes. "Greenhouse 36."

"Sounds great. I approve. Let's go there." Tony turned for the door.

"Oh and Tony," Pepper said quietly as they entered the elevator. "I was thinking. Maybe you could teach Keeva and Jac how to be a bit more… human. They seem to feel out of place."


	5. Jump in the Line

"Tony, don't you think you should be handled this differently? Like taking her to the government for assessment?"

Stark glanced toward Keeva and Jac who both had the same raised glowered, brow look as they stared down Rhodey. _Apparently that comment didn't go over too well._ "I can't see either of them stealing the Declaration of Independence. Besides, Pep said to teach them some human things. Just Dance is a human thing."

Rhodes paused momentarily. "If you're playing Just Dance, why am here?"

Tony glanced to the two behind him as they moved the couch and coffee table against a wall. A screen dropped from the ceiling.

"Is that dog on its back legs—and moving furniture?"

"I'm a _lescus_!" Jac growled. "Wolf if you need something easier to say."

Stark looked at Rhodey's wide eyes. "He's going to play with us."

"Oh, I'm not playing." Rhodey shook his head.

"Sure you are."

Within ten minutes, Tony stood dancing with Rhodey, Keeva and the dog. It wasn't on the top of his list of things he wanted to be doing—Pepper took all top three spots. However, watching Rhodey try to get the steps down was more than amusing.

As the current song ended, Tony caught Jac and Keeva exchange a look. The dog slashed his paw—which looked closer to a hand—through the air and settled on a new song.

Stark looked at them. "I'm not doing this one."

Jac and Keeva grinned mischievously as they circled each other once with the music starting.

"You're falling behind. Better start dancing," Keeva said.

Tony reluctantly followed the moves with Rhodey. He amused, however, when the dog could shake and score high points than Rhodey.

"You're letting a dog beat you." Tony heard the man next to him heave a sigh.

"You're being punished for something, aren't you?" Rhodey asked as they all clapped.

Stark shrugged. "I don't know what."

* * *

**The duo dance they're doing is _Jump in the Line by Harry Belfonte_. (Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice anyone?)**

**As it looks there will be one more.**


	6. Not Best Served Cold

Normally, he would have taken a Quinjet to the Helicarrier. However, Keeva never would have stepped foot on the plane so he was forced to take a boat to it. Tony had never seen someone so frightened of something. He was lucky she didn't have a panic attack in the tower. He assumed she thought the windows kept her safe—or she never looked out them.

It had taken a few days, but he finally figured out that he was being punished for missing the meeting. It had taken another few hours to figure out Keeva was actually the ring leader. While Pepper was known for being subtle and Jac had done most of the payback, it was the quiet immortal who sat back with a smirk admiring her plan.

Two could play at that game.

"Come on, Keeva. You haven't even seen the best part."

Tony was slightly reminded of a child as she gazed about the ocean and the ship. Some days he forgot that Earth advances were foreign to her. As her eyes flitted from sight to sight, he momentarily felt regret for what was about to go down.

"Is this an aircraft carrier?" She glanced to him.

"Been reading again?"

She nodded. "This seems much larger than one, though. Is it a new aircraft carrier?"

"You could say that." Again, he felt a pang of guilt at her innocent curiosity, but shrugged it off. "We're going to need to head inside."

With a glance toward him, her brow rose as the engine hummed to life. Cautiously, she walked over to the edge and looked down. He watched the color drain from her face as the Helicarrier began to lift.

"You… You brought me on an a-a-aircraft?" He didn't miss the tears start to stream from her face as she trembled and death gripped the railing near her.

In that moment, Tony learned two very important lessons. One, he should never play with people's fears when it came to revenge. And two, never to avoid another meeting Pepper wanted him to attend again.

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**Thanks for reading!**


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